Friday, December 31, 2010

I'm not much for looking back & can't recall ever making New Year's resolutions, so I won't start now, but........

Going through files & docs, I noticed that the RECKLESS draft was pretty much done in 2009 & here it is only 3 hours from 2011 & it's still "not out" (waiting for the final cover art). Guess that's partly due to working out of town. Also, in my defense, I did chop out a big portion of the book to use as a launching point for the next book, a story that I really like, resulting in a major rewrite of the ending for RE. (Hint: The ending for RECKLESS is, hmmmm, better not say anything yet.)

So did I miss out on any opportunities? Maybe. Does it matter? Dunno. Can't do anything about it now. I'm a little late to the ebook party, but that'll change within the next week or two.

I allowed myself 10 minutes to think about 2010 - beyond 10 minutes, it's all a blur anyway. This time last year I was working out of the company's office in Jacksonville, griping every day about being stuck inside behind a desk, putting numbers together. We had bid a job for Amtrak that the 'Powers That Be' almost bailed out on 'cause they decided the job was too complicated. In the meantime, we were looking at a really lean year for moneymaking projects so the railroad project was muy importante. Poof! January arrived. We were awarded the Amtrak job that was too complicated to take on & the 'Powers That Be' designated me as 'The Guy' to do the job, which meant a 16 month gig out of town. Funny, nowadays, working out of the office doesn't seem like such a bad option. (I haven't seen my office for 50 weeks. Wonder what it looks like.)

For the most part, the blog's been on a yearlong hiatus, with the odd post thrown in from time to time - an artificial sign of life. Writing was hit or miss. Impossible at the hotel, slightly better at the condo, much improved at the little house that we rented. Promotion? ZERO. I couldn't do any book signings, cancelled plans for a couple of book festivals, & couldn't attend the FWA Writers Conference or the RPLA Awards Banquet. Perfect batting average on marketing overall.

Wonder what'll happen in 2011. I want to get the 3rd book out. I'd like to do some promotion. Blogging regularly again would be kinda cool. Finding a coupla beta readers might be a plus & losing 15 pounds couldn't be a bad thing. Well, I'm still not makin' any resolutions - 'cept to finish this project n' go home, to my real house.

I wonder if I just need a compass. GPS? A set direction? A game plan? Map? Would these require makin' resolutions? Hope not.

How 'bout you? Any goals or resolutions rattlin' around in your cranium that you'll try to ignore?

Sunday, December 26, 2010

First of all, hope everyone had a very nice Christmas. I haven't been online much these past few weeks.

We're working through the cover art again for RECKLESS, trying to get it just right. Being pig-headed, as usual. While that's going on, I'm polishing & fine-tuning the final MS while working on the follow up Jack Rackham Adventure. I should be working to create "buzz" before RECKLESS is let loose, you know, blogging & such, but (a) I'm way too focused on the final product & (b) I'm terrible about elbowing my way around to even mention my books, especially on someone else's site. Personally, I tend to avoid blogs totally dedicated to the promotion of an author's work. Blogs, IMHO, should be give & take. It's fine to incorporate promotion into the mix, but getting to "know" folks, including their opinions, is entertaining & often educational. (The fact that the "I" word has been used 7 times in this post is uncomfortable enough.)

So how do y'all do it (mix blog posts & promo) without becoming a self-centered bore? How do you attract followers with whom to share ideas? (There are 30 followers on JaxPop, only 5 on the newer Jack Rackham Adventures blog). I (#8) dunno, maybe it's best to just stick with storytellin', but I'd (#9) sure like to get some opinions.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

I recently finished reading a novel, DEAD WITNESS, written by my blogging friend Joylene Butler. Now I'm not one to write reviews, & I won't rave about a book if I don't honestly find it rave-worthy, but this is a really terrific story, one very much worth reading.

Valerie McCormick witnesses the murder of 2 FBI agents. She tries to do the right thing, reporting what she's seen, but the authorities botch the opportunity to capture the killer. Since only her testimony can put away the murderous drug lord, she becomes his target. The order is out, make her the DEAD WITNESS, whatever the cost. The FBI & RCMP join forces to protect Valerie, but the cartel has infiltrated all levels of law enforcement. To protect her 3 daughters, she will make choices and sacrifices that go beyond extreme, even for a loving & protective mother.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, because there are several well-done plot twists & surprises. The tension ramps up consistently throughout & the pacing is great. The characters work well, very believable - Joylene gets the reader to "lock in". I particularly liked the protagonist, Valerie, who transforms from the desperate, sometimes despondent - easily led victim, to the still conflicted, but take charge protector, willing to take any risk or pay any price to save her family.

So there you have it - my 2 cents. If you like suspense, I recommend DEAD WITNESS very highly, giving it 2 thumbs up & a well-deserved standing ovation. Great job Joylene - it was entertaining & captivating, (&, gee, I don't think I've ever used the word captivating in a sentence before).

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Ever write from a prompt? I've done it a few times for fun. In one case, I was given a miniscule time limit (hour or 2?) & 4 words to incorporate into a very short story. The words provided were: Ingredients, mole, windowpane, & ..... sorry, the 4th excapes me. I'm gonna post it below.

So what to do for the topic. Hmmm.... I'm from suburban Philadelphia, truly an inspiring kind of place, for characters especially. It's the home of cheese steaks, throwing snowballs at Santa, cops shooting cats to get them down from trees, & South Philly mobsters with Italian names. Okay, I made that part up about the cops & cats, but, once upon a time 30 years or so ago, the Mayor ordered the police to bomb a house from a helicopter & the fire wiped out most of a neighborhood. Ah, the memories.

Anyway, I jumped back to my roots & the 'good old days' for this very short (BUT NOT YA) story.

And cut me some slack - I needed a break from the kid stuff......

A HANDFUL OF INGREDIENTS

The bespectacled little man with the bow tie and bad comb over crossed Callowhill Street and walked toward the converted row home with the battered sign announcing, Ciarlante’s Meats – Best Steak Sandwiches In South Philly. This was his first visit to the City of Brotherly Love and he was anxious to sample the famous specialty that the locals had so enthusiastically recommended. His saliva glands kicked into high gear with anticipation.

A bell jingled overhead as he entered the shop. Behind the meat case stood a fiftyish looking man with a prominent mole staring out from the bridge of his nose, resembling a misplaced third eye. He was thick through the middle and wore a soiled white apron, the name Carmine stitched across the pocket of his grimy shirt. Another man, sitting at a small table along the wall below a no-smoking sign, puffed away on a Lucky Strike. The ashtray overflowed with stale butts and two crumpled packets kept company with one that was newly opened. The little man timidly approached the greasy counter. ‘Three eyes’ stood silent, waiting to take his order.

The man felt sweat beading up across his upper lip. “S.. sure. Cheese. I’d like Swiss cheese please. Yes, Swiss, that would be fine.”

“I knew you was an asshole the minute you walked in da place. We don’t do no Swiss. You get a steak witt American or wittout.” Carmine nodded to the chain smoker, and pointed toward the horrified customer with his thumb. “We need to do somethin’ about dis shithead.”

Shaking, the stranger moved toward the door but found his path blocked by the hulking Lou who shoved him roughly toward the register. Eyes squinting against cigarette smoke; Lou pulled the shade over the cracked window pane and twisted the door lock before flipping the closed sign to face the street.

“Bring the son of a bitch back here so’s I can show ‘im what ingredients go in a cheese steak,” barked Carmine as he moved toward a stainless steel meat slicer.

“You can’t be serious. I…. I didn’t do anything,” pleaded the terrified out-of-towner.

Lou grabbed him around the shoulders with one arm, locked onto his neck with the other, and shoved him behind the counter. Carmine clamped his hand over the man’s puny wrist, and yanked him toward the machine, holding the hand inches from the slicer while he reached for the toggle switch.

“You can’t do this! I’m begging you guys. I’ll give you whatever you want. I won’t call the cops. I swear. I’ll leave and never come back,” he wailed, struggling against the crushing grip of the two thugs.

“I toldja. I’m in a shitty mood today. I gotta do somethin’ to get myself in a better frame of mind. Ain’t nothin’ personal. What’s your name again?” asked Carmine.

“I never said.”

“Well, tell me now shit-for-brains.”

“Chuck. My name’s Chuck. I swear. I’ll leave town right now and keep my mouth shut.”

Carmine sighed. “Sorry Chuck. Lou’s been bored lately. I don’t like when he’s bored. Now pay attention ‘cause dis is how we get the first of our four ingreeeeedients.”

Chuck’s screams were stifled by Lou’s forearm as the toggle was flipped. Carmine grinned as he shoved the hand against the spinning blade, working the mechanism in a rhythmic back and forth motion. Paper-thin pieces of the hand filtered through the machine, dropping neatly onto a sheet of bloody wrapping paper. For Chuck, the pain and sight of four-fingered lunchmeat proved unbearable and, as his bladder emptied, he lost consciousness.

“Nah. See if he’s carryin’ any cash, then dump his wimpy ass behind the Island Avenue scrap yard. Tell ‘im he keeps his mouth shut, or he’s dead,” Carmine ordered.

Lou knelt beside the maimed customer, extracted a billfold and stared at the man’s ID. “Dis ain’t good Carmine. Da son of a bitch works for the IRS.”

The butcher ripped the blood-soaked apron from around his neck and threw it across the counter. “Holy shit!” He leaned against the refrigerated meat case, staring at the floor, thinking of a solution.

The minutes passed and Carmine scratched absently at the repulsive mole. After collecting his thoughts, he looked up and smiled. “Drag him into da back room, Lou. We're gonna run a special tomorrow … on ground Chuck.”

Royal Palm Literary Award

About Me

I write books for Young Adults. BAD LATITUDE is the first Jack Rackham Adventure & RECKLESS ENDEAVOR A Jack Rackham Adventure is the 2nd in the series. Both are available in print & now ebook format. You should read 'em now, 'cause the 3rd Rackham Adventure is already well underway ... & I ain't sittin' around waitin' for ya.
And another thing - Keep an eye out for SPANKY AND THE SPECKLED BUTTERBEAN, it's in the edit stages these days. It's for littler kids! More secrets revealed soon 'bout that one. Maybe.

THE Jack Rackham

Introducing A New Character

MY MUSE (Mickey)

I conceive that the right way to write a story for boys is to write so that it will not only interest boys but strongly interest any man who has ever been a boy. That immensely enlarges the audience. Mark Twain